Poulet en Cocotte

This dish requires a relatively large Dutch oven, and I’ve been meaning to make it since I bought one a couple of years ago. This recipe is essentially the one that Julia Child included in Mastering the Art of French Cooking, though the addition of foil in combination with the lid (which enables the chicken very moist despite the long, slow cooking time) was a twist introduced by the folks at America’s Test Kitchen, so that’s what I’ve linked to below.

Preheat oven to 250 degrees and position a rack at the lowest position. Allow the chicken to come to room temperature for an hour or two, then thoroughly dry it with paper towels. Tuck the wings under the bird and season the skin and cavity with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large dutch oven over medium heat. Add the chicken breast side down and then add the vegetables and bay leaf to the pot.

Cook until the breast is browned – about 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 6 – 8 minutes.

Remove from the heat and tightly cover the pot with a large piece of aluminum foil, then cover with the lid. Cook until the breast reaches 160 degrees, about 1 hour and 45 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot and allow to rest, tented with foil, for at least 20 minutes. While the chicken is resting, separate the pan juices from the vegetables and other solids in the pan. Transfer the liquid to a small saucepan on low heat. As you carve the chicken, pour any liquid from the chicken into the saucepan. After you have finished carving the chicken, add the lemon juice to the saucepan. Serve the chicken, passing the pan juice on the side.